Page 28 of Expressionate
"Your new girlfriend? Why the fuck do Icare?"
Cross salutes me with his middle finger. "She's not my girlfriend," he says. "You know I don't date. I mean the otherone."
"Love?" I ask. "What did shewant?"
He shrugs, grabbing the remote and turns the TV to a different channel. "Don't know, she was looking for you. Told her you weren't here. She said never mind, but I figured I'd tell youanyway."
"Thanks, man." I pause in the living room, wondering what shewanted.
As if reading my thoughts, Ally shakes her head at me. "Shower before you do anything," she urges. "Please, you'll thank melater."
I laugh and open my arms. "What's wrong, baby sis?" I grin. "Don't wanna hug your bigbrother?"
She backs up. "Not when you smell likethat."
I laugh again, launching myself at her. She squeals and barely manages to dive out of the way, skittering toward the couch, crawling across Cross to get to the other side. "Fuck! Ally!" Cross yells as I half land on him, trying to get to her. I'm too amused to chastise him about his language in front of my little sister. Especially when he blanches. "Dude, she's fucking right, you smell likeass!"
I push off him and wink at Ally. "I'll get you next time, babysis."
"You will not!" she yells as I make my way toward the bathroom, stripping off my shirt as I go. Love reenters my thoughts as I wash and staysthere.
I rush through my shower, grab a new shirt, slide into clean jeans, and snatch the typewriter up before I find myself standing in front of her door with my arm raised toknock.
I knock, and the door slides open after a few moments later. The girl – the roommate who has an aversion to clothes that cover her ass and tits – stands before me. Wide eyes look up at me before she licks her lips and bites the lower one. I raise an eyebrow and barely contain my repulsion. "Were you coming over here?" she asks. Dumb aswell.
I nod. "I am." I balance the box containing the typewriter in my arms. "Is Lovel–" I barely stop myself, "Love," I correct, "is Lovehere?"
The girl – whose name escapes me – frowns, as if disappointed. "Oh, yeah, she's here." She opens the door wider and points down the hall. "Her room is that way. I'm heading out. Don't fuck in the livingroom."
I frown after her as she disappears out the front door with that parting statement, letting it swing shut behind her. What kind of people is that girl used to? If Love lets me fuck her in the living room, I'm not gonna question it. I'll fucking take her against every goddamn surface in this apartment. For a woman like Love, though, I'll probably have to work a little bit harder before we get to that, but it'll make the sex that much more explosive, I'msure.
I head down the hallway. All of the doors are closed but one. And from that open doorway, I hear the strings of something soft and dark. A singer mumbling through a song with a smoky voice about holding one's breath and a girl with austere curls. I pause in the hallway, peering into the small room. It's almost utilitarian, with very little personality, which is odd for the girl I see sitting in front of her computer, staring at thescreen.
"Those things will ruin your eyes, you know," I say by way ofgreeting.
She jerks, startled, and whirls toward me. Big, green eyes blink at me, a flush rising to her cheeks. "Beverly let you in?" she asks, surprised. Ahhh, that must be the roommate's name. I nod. "I told your friends to forget I cameover."
"Cross told me you said something along those lines." I step further into the room, and she stands up, lookinguncomfortable.
"Sorry it's a mess in here," shesays.
I stare at her. Is this girl serious? The floor is empty. The desk is a little cluttered, sure, with books and sticky notes. There are a few books on her small bed. I grimace. I don't know how I'll ever fit on that thing. She doesn't know it yet, but the moment I get her to give in – I'm getting her a bigger bed. I'll move my damn bed in here if I need to. Once I have her, I'm going to want her again and again. Of that, I'msure.
"It's fine," I say. Her eyes drop to the box in myarms.
"What's that?" sheasks.
I grin and nod toward the bed. "Do you mind if I set it down? I brought it foryou."
"Uh...sure?" She sounds uncertain, but I don't give her time to change her mind. I stride across the room and set the box down on her bed. She comes up beside me. "You got mesomething?"
"I did," I say with a smile. I step back and push her gently forward. "Openit."
Love looks at the box like it might contain something vile, like spiders or snakes. "There's nothing in it that's going to bite you, Iswear."
She still doesn't look comfortable, hesitating before she reaches for the top folds of the box. I've already opened it, all she needs to do is pull back the cardboard flaps and peer inside. When she does, her eyes widen and then flash up to mine before returning toit.
"Isthis...?"
